Challenging the Myths of US History: Seven Short Essays on the Past and Present

Beyond a takedown of the traditional narrative of US history, this sharp and accessible book teaches readers how to read history with a critical eye.

According to textbooks, the media, and politicians of all stripes, the story of the United States is one of steady progress toward a "more perfect union." In this narrative, ideals of liberty and freedom explain the Revolution and the Civil War and drove racial progress. Similarly, foreign policy, if marked by stumbles, has been largely well-in...